


Fives Prompts Week: June 2020

by captain_fives



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Clones Are Naturally Affectionate, Gen, I mean it, no clonecest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 10,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24584392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_fives/pseuds/captain_fives
Summary: Fic requests from Fives Prompts Week run on my tumblr; fourteen prompts over seven days, all featuring my favourite clone trooper lad.Featuring some of my AUs as well as popular fandom tropes, and involving various other Clone Wars characters.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555, CT-21-0408 | Echo & CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555, CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555 & CT-5385 | Tup, CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555 & CT-5597 | Jesse, CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555 & CT-6116 | Kix, CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555 & CT-7567 | Rex, CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555 & Hardcase, Clone Force 99 | Bad Batch & CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555, Domino Squad - Relationship
Comments: 59
Kudos: 109





	1. recharge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A collective bad day can be tough for any self-promoted caretaker of your group. Please remember to recharge your _ori'vod._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt for Bad Batch and sickfic in _ghost and the machine_ 'verse from tarnera-blog
> 
> Warnings: mentions of panic attacks, depression.

Tech stumbles out into the main living area, nearly bumping into Wrecker on the way. It gets a laugh out of his older brother as a large hand steadies him, and Crosshair slips an arm over his shoulders as the sniper quietly emerges from the 'fresher. 'Sorry for what I said yesterday,' he murmurs, and Tech blinks the sleep from his vision. 'I shouldn't have snapped at you, even so,' he replies, glancing up at the shadows beneath his brother's eyes. 'Are you okay?'

Cross looks down at him, confused. 'You're the one who had a panic attack, I should be asking you that.'  
'But -'  
'I'll be fine, Tech. I... don't particularly want to talk about it right now.'

They leave it at that for the moment, grabbing breakfast from the cooler box and sitting at the table. Well, Tech sits at the table with Wrecker and Hunter; Crosshair perches on the counter like a particularly long tooka, meticulously dissecting a muja fruit. 'Hey, where's Ghost?'  
Wrecker looks around, curious. 'Yeah, ain't he usually awake before the rest of us?'

Hunter is frowning as he considers the closed door down the hall. 'Tech, was he awake when you got up?' he asks, and the slicer shakes his head. 'Not that I could tell. He was tossing and turning a little before I managed to get to sleep last night, but I looked over to the other bunk this morning and he was pretty out of it.'

There's a minute of thoughtful silence, before the four of them glance at each other and get to work.

* * *

His brain feels like a mess of duracrete and crawling bugs. Not the most coherent of metaphors, maybe, but he's not exactly coherent right now.

Ghost is aware he probably should be getting up, eating breakfast, making sure his brothers are okay after the absolute mess that was yesterday, but his spine is like a beskar weight and his limbs aren't much better.

He doesn't quite know why all of his team's various issues had decided to rear their ugly heads on the same day, but it had been a hell of a time trying to keep everything together. While Hunter waking up with a migraine was usually simple enough to fix, the fact that he'd already had to use the last of their painkillers for one of Wrecker's flareups earlier that morning meant that there wasn't much to be done except keep the lights off, the noise down, and a bucket and a water pouch by the Sergeant's bunk.

That reminds him, they need to do a supply run today because they can't just fly around by themselves without painkillers because Tech is just about the only one who doesn't need them on a regular basis.

Speaking of his littlest brother, is he doing okay? He still wasn't sure why Tech had snapped at Crosshair or why Cross had started it in the first place, but it wasn't really normal for them anymore. That might have been why they both reacted so badly, but he'd been so preoccupied trying to get Tech to breathe properly that he hadn't managed to catch Crosshair in a talking mood by the time Wrecker had lumbered a little stiltedly out of his room to help.

He had sat with the sniper anyway, made quiet conversation until Cross had felt like speaking again, just talking about regular things. Eventually, his brother had fallen asleep and Ghost had felt safe enough to tuck him into his bunk and go check on the others. He'd stumbled into bed himself not long after, exhausted - which was odd because they hadn't really done anything for most of the day.

Clearly he's thinking too much, because his head throbs in protest and he curls further into the covers with an involuntary whimper.

Hopefully he's not messing up everyone else's day.

* * *

Crosshair lets the door swish open, peeks around the frame to see Ghost huddled on his bunk. 'Alright, Wrecker, you're up. We'll make sure everything else is ready.'  
'I got 'im, don't worry.'

Cross vanishes back into the hallway, and Wrecker slowly approaches the mess of covers. 'Hey, bro. You awake in there?' He lifts up an edge of the blanket, and Ghost's eyes blink back at him, half-open and bleary. Wrecker tries a smile. 'Hi. Gonna pick you up, okay? Don't freak out.'

He gets a faint nod. It's something at least. He carefully bundles up his older brother, blankets and all, and shifts him until he's cradled securely, making his way out of the room and down the hall to his own. It has the biggest bunk, one they'd had to DIY themselves because he's too big for a regular one, and the younger two have piled every blanket and pillow they all own on top of and beside it. Tech is already sitting there, holding the comfiest pillow in the crook of his arm while he scrolls through the holonet on his datapad to find the best tooka videos. 

Wrecker can hear Crosshair helping Hunter in the mess, so he goes ahead and props Ghost against the wall so he can sit near the head of the bunk. Tech tosses the pillow over into his lap and helps their brother lie down, shuffling them both around as Ghost's arms reach out to curl around him like a stuffed bantha toy. He rolls his eyes at the pat on the head from Wrecker, but smiles nevertheless, settling down to watch tooka videos in the hopes of distracting his _ori'vod_ from whatever was bothering him. Hunter and Crosshair wander in with mismatched mugs, handing one to Wrecker and setting two on the nearby footlocker before settling themselves on the floor by the bunk.

There's a few minutes of peaceful quiet, before -

'Don't want to be a bother,' a hoarse voice says, and Hunter shakes his head even though his _vod_ isn't looking. 'Not a bother, Ghost. Even you need a recharge sometimes.' He reaches up to pat Ghost's hand beneath the blanket, and pokes Tech in the side to make him snort out a laugh. Ghost hums, and returns his gaze to the tooka videos, all his brothers in the edge of his awareness. They're all okay. He can relax and let them take care of him for a while.

He leans his head against Tech's, smiling a little, and lets himself rest.


	2. right beside you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Echo considers his brother, and faces a very rational fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt: Echo, hurt/comfort, canon 'verse from anonymous
> 
> warnings: discussion of death, some foreshadowing

He can't sleep.

Tomorrow, he and Fives start ARC training, and tonight is the first night they've spent away from the 501st since Rex and Cody picked them up off Rishi. For the first few hours he spent trying to drift off, he stared at the roof of his pod, wondering if he blinked, he would find himself a cadet again, hoping to pass his final test with the rest of Domino Squad.

Everything has stayed stubbornly the same, so far, and the contrast is a little unnerving. He can't hear the faint snores from Cutup in the pod above, there's no sleepy mumbling from Droidbait's weird dreams, and no Hevy to kick the door of any of their pods when they're being too loud.

It's just him and Fives, like it has been for a while now.

He sighs, frustrated at his brain's inability to stop racing, and taps the inner pod controls, climbing down the ladder to go look out the window. They're in a smaller barracks this time, for the ARC trainees, so it's not far to walk.

And, he finds as the vista comes into sight, he's not alone. 'Can't sleep either?'

His brother looks so much younger in fatigues, without the armour bulking him out. He looks like a cadet again, even with the facial hair (that everyone _always_ knew he grew in on purpose to look less like a wide-eyed shiny) and the tattoo, and Echo is swept by a wave of nostalgia as he steps up next to him. 

'Weird to be back,' Fives replies, distantly, and Echo folds his arms on the windowsill and rests his head on them, mimicking him. They used to do this on the walkways as children, standing on tiptoes when the _kaminiise_ weren't looking to see over the training halls and racks of growth tubes. Hevy, Droidbait, Echo, Cutup, Fives, all in a line. There's still empty spaces on both sides of him now. No elbow digging into his left arm, a spot where Cutup should be on his right, between him and Fives.

He's still hesitant to step into it, even though he knows his brother needs him close right now. If he's honest, he hasn't left Fives' side for very long either, not after they'd first arrived on the _Resolute_. 

Echo shuffles over, bumps his elbow against Fives' arm. 'C'mon. We've got to get up early. Can share a pod if it's being by yourself that's the issue.'

Fives huffs out a breath against the transparisteel, nodding. 'Alright.'

They wander back to the pods, clambering up the ladder and curling up in Echo's bunk like they did so often in those early days after Rishi, missing their brothers like so many phantom limbs, wondering if they'd wake up to find it was just a terrible dream. Fives woke up a lot during those nights, staring out the viewport or wandering the halls sometimes but always returning to his place under the blanket, letting Echo soothe him back to sleep with quiet words and a hand in his hair. Grief gave him a restlessness that he's never quite shaken even now, returned to bother him again after losing 99.

Echo's not like that. He grieves in the stillness instead, after Fives is asleep again, when he can hold his brother close and hide his tears in his hair and hope against all hope that the universe will at least see fit to never separate them. He doesn't think he could survive that, losing Fives on top of everyone else. His brother has been a constant, and Echo is so grateful for him. 

He would take a blaster bolt for Fives. Knowing statistics, he probably will one day. Fives would do the same, he knows.

He hopes neither of them ever have to.


	3. hold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Echo is gone, but Fives is still here.
> 
> Jesse and Kix remind him they've got his back, and air out some of their own grief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt for Jesse & Kix, hurt/comfort, in _may the fourth be with you_ 'verse for fadinglight123
> 
>  _may the fourth_ 'verse includes the interesting headcanon that Echo is actually the more outgoing and confident of the Domino Twins, so I decided to explore that a bit here.
> 
> warnings: discussion of death

Eventually, Rex has to leave the little huddle of old-guard troopers, as much as he doesn't want to. 'I've got to report to our Jedi to tell them that you're up, and comm Cody,' he says, squeezing Fives tight before slipping out of the room.

Fives shivers a little at the sudden absence, and Jesse quickly slots himself into the space, winding his arms around his brother. He's inexplicably chilled, even through his fatigues; Jesse looks over at Hardcase, snoring at the end of the bunk, and pokes him with his foot. ''Case. Get up.'  
'Hnrk?'  
'We need another blanket. And see if the kitchen guys will make something easy to eat. It's been a while since Fives had anything vaguely substantial.'  
'Hmmmkay,' Hardcase grunts, sliding off the mattress and rolling to his feet. Making his way to one of the lockers, he tugs a rolled-up blanket from the stack and tosses it over to Jesse, then flips them a casual salute and saunters out the door.

Good old Hardcase, always trying to lighten the mood. It's been rough on him too, and Kix is definitely going to be having a chat with him later.

Speaking of Kix, he wanders back in not long after Hardcase has left, medical bag slung over his shoulder. 'Thought you wouldn't appreciate going back to the medbay, so I brought the medbay to you,' he says quietly, and Fives huffs in exhausted amusement.  
'What happened to me, Kix?' he asks, voice rough from disuse, and the medic shrugs, shaking his head. 'I have no idea. It's not like anything I've ever seen on the field. My best guess would be some kind of shock.'  
'Can't be,' Jesse replies, brows furrowed in confusion. 'I've seen shock, and it doesn't put you out for over a tenday.'  
'Like I said, I really have no clue, but that's the closest thing.'

Kix checks Fives over, drawing blood and frowning as he presses a hand to his younger brother's forehead. 'You cold, or is that just me?'  
''S pretty cold.'  
'You don't feel feverish, but you're shivering,' the medic replies, and unrolls the blanket. 'C'mon, we'll huddle for a while.' 

Fives nods, welcoming the contact as his brother snuggles in on his other side, Jesse helping to maneuver the extra blanket around them both. 'Sorry.'  
'For what?'  
'Scaring you,' is the hoarse response, and Kix presses his forehead against Fives' shoulder, reaching for a shaking hand and lacing their fingers together. 'It's okay now. You're back with us and that's all that matters.'

The three of them sit in silence for a little while, just basking in the warmth of the blankets and the comfort of having their brothers next to them.

'What was it like?' Jesse asks after some time has passed, and Fives blinks, eyes going distant. 'Empty. Like there was a big hole where something ought to be, but I couldn't remember what it was. I couldn't remember much at all.'  
Kix shifts a little closer, squeezes Fives' hand. 'I almost gave up on you by the end there.'  
'... It was that bad?'  
'It was just... wrong,' the medic admits, a tremble in his voice. 'I've never seen you so silent. You barely moved, wouldn't respond to anyone, not even Rex.' He takes a hitching breath, hiding damp eyes in his brother's shoulder. 'I honestly thought we were going to lose you too.'

Fives is quiet for a long second, before he wriggles in Jesse's hold, turning over to curl further into Kix's arms. 'I'm sorry.'  
'It's not your fault, Fives, don't think that. I was just afraid,' Kix states bluntly, and tugs his little brother as close as he can. 'You're back now. I'll be alright.'

Jesse drapes an arm around both of them, clings tight. 'It was rough for a while, man. Doesn't make it your fault. You were in the karking medbay, after all.'  
'Sh-shouldn't have -'  
' _Fives_ ,' Jesse replies, and that's his stern I'm-Mimicking-Rex-Right-Now voice. 'You'd just lost your twin, _vod'ika_. It was going to be a rough few weeks no matter what. We all miss him, a lot, but we had to take care of you for a while and we don't blame you for that. We can't fault you for not being okay.'

Kix hums in agreement, hand absentmindedly trailing gentle circles across his little brother's back as Fives lets out a muffled sob. 'You're our _vod'ika_ just like he was, we weren't just going to let you face this alone. I know you were never as good at making friends, never as close with as many people; but we do care about you. It wasn't the same without you around.' He cups Fives' face in his hands, leans back to knock their foreheads together and look him in the eye. 'And we almost lost you right after losing him, so you'll have to excuse us if we're a bit clingy for a while.'

The noise that rips itself from Fives' throat is wounded and ragged and heartbreaking, but he clings back just as tight when his brothers wrap their arms around him and hold him together.

They stay like that until Hardcase returns with evening meal, and then the four of them sit up waiting for their Captain to return, Fives safe in the middle of the group where he belongs.


	4. degrees of separation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fives can't go home yet.
> 
> He's not the only one struggling with the repercussions of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for Cody, hurt/comfort, in _ghost and the machine_ 'verse from anonymous
> 
> Technically this deviates from true _ghost_ 'verse canon, as in the first chapter of that story I mention that Cody hasn't met up with any of the Bad Batch since the Coruscant Incident in the scene where the _Marauder_ lands on Anaxes. So this is technically an AU of the AU, I suppose.

It's four months after the Coruscant Incident when Cody finally sees Fives again.

He's meeting up with Clone Force 99 to exchange some datachips they'd uncovered on their latest mission, ones too important to trust to any local middleman or messenger. Also, he admits to himself, he wants to check up on them, see how they're doing. Call him protective, but it's not as if the four of them - five, now - had much backup out there. Certainly not much contact with other _vod'e._

He wants to see Fives, too. His little brother has been away from home for quite some time, and while Hunter had reassured him that the former ARC trooper had settled into the team quickly, Cody needs to see for himself.

Landing his small, nondescript fighter on the crest of a hill, he watches the Havoc Marauder make its way through the cloud cover and settle nearby. The Bad Batch scampers down the hatch stairs, Wrecker and Crosshair immediately starting a game of keepaway with what looks like a meiloorun when their boots touch grass. Tech looks to Hunter, who nods and accepts a small canister from the slicer before the smallest trooper goes racing off to join the game. 

Hunter laughs and makes his way over to join Cody at the top of the hill, shadowed by the fifth member of their squad. 'Sorry about that, boss. They've been cooped up in there for a while.'  
'It's fine,' Cody replies, and he means it. 'You've taken a lot of surveillance missions lately, they deserve to stretch their legs.' He accepts the canister from Hunter, tucking it safely in a belt pouch. 'Good job on the data retrieval, Sergeant.'  
'Ah, it was all Tech, really. Kid's a damn genius, after all. Ghost, you joining the exercise, or do you want to stay and chat with the Commander a minute?'  
'I should probably update on the situation anyway,' Cody notes a little grimly, and Hunter nods, clapping Fives on the shoulder before jogging away.

Fives glances nervously at Cody, and the Commander sits on the edge of the fighter wing, gesturing for his brother to join him. 'How are you, Fives?'  
'... Better, I think. Still some gaps in my memory.'  
'Any new developments?'  
'None that seem very important,' he shrugs, and looks a little guilty at the admission. 'I still feel like there's something I need to remember.'  
'Well, hopefully it'll come back in time.'

His _vod'ika_ is quiet for a minute, staring out across the grassy vale, listening to the sounds of the game below. 'I miss them.'  
'I know. I'm keeping an eye on them for you.'  
'How are they?'  
Cody looks down at his boots. 'Grieving, but powering through it. It's been a busy few months on the frontlines.'  
'... any good news?'

The Commander grins a little at an amusing memory. 'Jesse's off at ARC training.'  
 _'Jesse?'_  
'That's what I said. Force knows that scout has never wanted the responsibility, but he'll make a good ARC once he gets his head in gear. I trust Rex's judgement on that.'  
'"ARC Trooper Jesse",' Fives says, wondering. 'Kix'll be throwing a fit every time he's on the field, he's terrible at not getting injured.'

There's another minute of silence.

'When do I get to see them again?'

Cody sighs heavily, nudging their elbows together. 'I wish I knew. From what _Dartome_ 's telling me, the investigation doesn't seem to be slowing down at the moment.'  
'It's been four months.'  
'I know. I'm trying to find out why, but it's difficult to do without arousing suspicion.' He turns, grips his brother's shoulder tight. 'I promise you, I am trying to get you back to the 501st as soon as it's safe to do so. I don't like this situation either, it's not fair to you or your _vod'e_ that think you're gone.'

Fives swallows against the lump in his throat, leaning into the Commander's steady presence. '... Rex blames himself, doesn't he.'  
'You and I both know that Rex would blame himself for the entire godsdamned war if it wasn't a completely stupid concept,' Cody replies, face grave. 'You let me worry about Rex, alright? Just focus on staying alive so I can get you back to your _ori'vod_ in one piece, that's all I need you to do.'  
'... Alright.'

Cody pats him on the shoulder, bumps their foreheads together in a _kov'nyn_. 'I'll get you home, Fives. As soon as I can.'  
'I know.'  
'Now, I can't stay long, but catch me up on what's been happening with your new squad. They're all too kriffing cryptic on comms...'


	5. how much you've grown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three dead troopers keep an eye on a pair of sleeping ARCs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for Domino Squad, ghosts, in canon 'verse from anonymous. You said you didn't want it sad if possible so there's just some ghostie shenanigans and the dead boys being proud of their little bros. It's short but it's cute.
> 
> Fives is definitely the youngest Domino, fight me.

'So this is the _Resolute_ , huh?'  
'Gotta be. Can't see why we'd be here otherwise, unless the Captain didn't take 'em in.'  
'I dunno, I really got the feeling he was the _buir_ type. Can't see him transferring them somewhere else. Find the barracks.'

Hevy's always been the leader, and still is even now. Cutup and Droidbait scamper around the halls of the cruiser, peeking in doorways, poking around corners, and generally getting themselves incredibly lost until - _Oi, you two. I found it,_ Cutup thinks, and watches his fellow afterlifers pop back into existence next to him. 'Torrent Company Barracks. They went all the way to the Captain's own company, huh?'  
'Like I said. _Buir_ type.'

Droidbait makes his way down the rows of bunks, peering at every familiar and yet unfamiliar face, checking the labels at the end of the beds. 'No, no, nope, that's a cool tattoo, no... oh, here! Wait, ARC-5555 and ARC-1409? Guys, they're ARC troopers!'  
 _'What?'_

Hevy and Cutup are by his side in an instant, staring at the tiny neon bunk numbers in awe. 'They did it,' Hevy breathes, a laugh bubbling up from his throat. 'They _actually did it.'_  
'"Bad batchers" my _shebs,'_ Cutup agrees, eyes watering as much as a ghost's eyes can water. 'I'm so karkin' proud.'  
'Same here,' Droidbait replies, 'but where are they?'

Fives and Echo are, indeed, not in bed where they ought to be. 'Little wanderers like always. Guess we gotta go find them.'

* * *

Having never spent any significant amount of time on a Venator, it takes the three of them some time to find their living brothers. Multiple backtracks and wrong turns later, they find themselves in what looks to be a general-purpose room, a large viewport on the far wall allowing a vista of stars to be visible.

Echo is seated next to the viewport, out like a light with his cheek smushed against the transparisteel and Fives' head cradled in his lap, one arm protectively draped over his younger brother's sleeping form and the other resting on the windowsill, slack fingers curled around a datapad. Droidbait snorts. 'Same old Echo. Probably reading the ARC manuals for the seventh time now.'  
'Nope,' Cutup grins, twisting upside-down to get an angle on the still-lit screen. 'Looks like a... Togrutan warrior legend.'  
'Aww,' Hevy laughs and runs a phantom hand over Echo's hair. 'He's all grown up. Hey, Fives' goatee finally grew in - wow, he looks five years older with that thing on his face.'  
'Oh, yeah, he definitely did it just for that,' Bait replies, snickering. 'Can't blame him, he always did have that wide-eyed shiny look after the three of us got scruff.'  
'Hey, be nice to our little brother,' Cutup says, though the grin on his face belies the stern note to his voice. 'It's not his fault he's _ik'aad.'_

They laugh until their nonexistent guts ache, cackling like they haven't done in a while, like they used to do so often as children.

'I'm so proud of them,' Hevy says when he gets his breath back, and he means it.  
'Me too.'  
'Yeah.'  
'Think we can hang out for a little while?'  
'Guess we'll see,' Droidbait sighs, hovering around the room; he's the best at floating, and Cutup is a bit jealous of how easy he makes it look. 'We'll stay with them as long as we can,' he says, and the other two nod in agreement.

The room is quiet again except for the hum of the ship's engines and Fives snuffling in his sleep. It feels nice, like the quiet nights on Kamino when they were all getting along, or their impromptu sleeping piles on the Rishi Station. The three of them settle down in a little clump, watching the stars and keeping an eye on their sleeping brothers. They'll stay as long as they're allowed. Maybe forever. It wouldn't matter either way, as long as they can be together again.

'Sleep well, _vod'ike.'_


	6. best laid plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Healing takes time.
> 
> Hardcase tries to cheer Fives up. It doesn't go quite the way he planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt for Hardcase, prank war, canon from anonymous
> 
> I _swear_ , this was _supposed_ to be stupid and fluffy. In my defense, I have been writing a _lot_ of hurt/comfort lately...

Sometimes it was hard to tell how a day was going to go.

Not all days had their specific vibe going early in the morning, so it had to develop over the following hours. Sometimes unexpected things would happen and throw the original expectations way out of whack. Sometimes the day just... didn't have anything going for it, usually during hyperspace traversal periods.

Not this day, though.

As soon as Fives walked into the fresher to find bright pink glitter in his hair and goatee, he knew exactly what kind of day it was going to be.

_'HARDCASE!'_

* * *

This one was an old stalwart.

Thankfully for Hardcase, Fives had become a bit of a creature of habit, so it was easy to set up a trail of pranks along the ARC's usual daily routine and in all his own usual hiding places, and then watch the chaos unfold as he stayed out of sight back in the barracks.

Sometimes, you had to send someone on a wild akk chase in order to set up something great, and by his calculations he had a couple of hours at least to get his surprise in order.

Now. Blankets. Pillows. That big squishy bantha stuffie Ringo said he could borrow. Snacks. Holovid. All the good stuff...

* * *

Had that son of an anooba booby-trapped _every single one_ of his hiding spots?

Fives was starting to lose it, if he was being completely honest with himself. Not only was he covered in paint and laundry and who knows what else, but he'd been almost all over the upper decks by this point and there was still no sign of Hardcase.

The other troopers hadn't been much help either - even sensible Kix had been unable to contain his giggles, and Rex had looked at him blearily over what was definitely only his second cup of kaf before wordlessly turning back to his paperwork.

The rest of them were mostly staying out of his way.

Probably the best idea.

* * *

 _'YOU!'_ was all that Hardcase heard before he was tackled into the giant blanket fort and hit the floor with a thud, twisting around to come face-to-face with a snarling Fives, covered in various colours of powder paint and several old socks. 'Care to explain what the _heck_ has been going on all morning?'

It occurred to Hardcase at that moment that perhaps he had gone about this the wrong way, because as he wriggled free of the tackle it was very clear that Fives was _pissed off,_ his brother's eyes practically boring holes into the wall behind his head. 'Uh... hi, Fives.'  
'I. Have been all over. The entire. Sith-spawned. Ship. For _hours_ -'  
'I can explain -'  
'- looking for your _dini'la_ ass -'  
' - Fives, calm down -'  
'- and I have just about _had it_ with your damn shenanigans -'  
 _'IwasjusttrynamakeyoulaughandIscreweditallupI'msorry!'_

There's an awkward moment of silence, Fives backing off a little as confusion replaces anger. 'I, uh... didn't really catch that.'  
Hardcase slumps back to the floor, deflated. 'I wanted to... you've been so down lately and I wanted to cheer you up. 'Cause you're my brother and I don't like seeing you sad, it just... doesn't look right. And I miss Echo too, I don't know, I... I just wanted to help.'

Fives says nothing for a long minute, finally getting to his feet and slipping out of the bunkroom to the showers, the door closing behind him. Hardcase hears the water start, staring blankly at the destroyed fort as he sits up. It had been a terrible idea from the beginning, he knew that. Most of his ideas were, but he'd thought that maybe - maybe he could just make Fives laugh for a little while and it would be okay.

Lost in thought, he doesn't hear the shower shut off again, and startles when something taps his shoulder, head tilting to see Fives - in a fresh set of fatigues and devoid of both paint and dirty laundry - offering him a hand up. He takes it, and is pulled into a tight hug, his brother's arms wrapping securely around him and damp hair settling against his neck. It takes him a shocked second to move, but he hugs back with all his might, trying to imagine himself squeezing the sadness out of Fives like a tube of toothpaste or a wet sponge.

Fives' eyes are red when he finally pulls back, but he offers a shaky smile as he bumps their foreheads together, sitting back down on the floor. 'Thanks, Case. Sorry for yelling at you.'  
'Y-you're not mad?'  
'Not anymore.' He looks around at the remains of the fort. 'Maybe next time, just... ask me if you want to hang out before you send me on a crazy loop around the ship.'

Hardcase breaks into a grin, plopping down next to his brother and handing him the stuffed bantha. 'No promises.' He picks up the contraband bag of gummy fruit, popping it open dramatically and tossing a few into his mouth. 'Wanna rebuild the fort and watch shitty holovids?'  
'... Sure, why not.'


	7. a short rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the midst of the final months of the war, Clone Force 99 takes a mysterious mission on the tourist planet of Scarif.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from an anon for Bad Batch & Echo, trope TBD, in _ghost and the machine_ 'verse.
> 
> The trope ended up being kind of a beach episode, I guess?

'Alright, boys, we've got our mission. Strange as the brief may sound, it's directly from the Marshal, so you know it's serious and we need to get it done to the best of our abilities.'  
'Sarge?'  
'Yes, Tech?'  
'Why would Sep spies be on Scarif?'  
'No idea, kid, maybe they're taking a holiday, or maybe tourists are just the chatty sort. Anyway, our job is to blend in, take in as much info as we can in the two days we have there, and root out any possible noise from the Seps or other insurgent groups.' 

Hunter lowers the datapad, raising a stern eyebrow in the direction of Wrecker and Crosshair. 'That means no starting fights, no shooting things, and _no_ explosions. We're meant to be _inconspicuous_ ; no drawing any unnecessary attention to ourselves.' Ignoring the frustrated sound from Wrecker, he turns to the twins. 'Because one of you is technically a dead man and the other only escaped Techno Union captivity last month, it's probably not a good idea for you two to go onto the mainland, given the amount of people we'll be around. Even with disguises, it's just not safe.'  
'We can find somewhere to hide the ship and just hang out there until you need a lift,' Fives suggests. 'And we can always keep an ear to the ground through the scanners while we're out there.'  
'Good plan. Tech can keep you updated via comms, and we won't have to worry about anyone finding the _Marauder_.'

'There are a few uninhabited islands some distance off the coast that aren't in use by the tourist board,' the slicer hums, fingers flying over the map. 'Mostly because they're home to vulnerable species, but as long as you're careful and don't get spotted you should be fine.'  
'Got it.'

* * *

The flight out from the mainland is quiet, Fives piloting and Echo in the jumpseat, both of them staring out at the ocean.

'Doesn't look anything like Kamino,' Echo muses, and his brother hums in agreement. 'No storm clouds, no rain.'  
'No giant waves, either. Definitely climate controlled, if I had to say.'  
'You think?'  
Fives lets out an amused snort. 'On a _tourist_ planet? Almost certainly.' He sets the _Marauder_ down gently in a small clearing of evergreens, letting down the ramp and setting the cloak on. 'Well. Now we wait until tomorrow, or the off chance they get _really_ bored and decide to explode something.'

He wanders out into the sunlight, shielding his eyes from the glare to survey the surroundings. 'Lot of space under these trees. Could get your PT and exercise done without too much trouble.'  
'Might as well.'  
'Race you to the hill up there, one-two-three- _go_ -'  
 _'OI!'_

* * *

It takes the rest of the day for his twin to catch on to the ruse, finally clicking when the two of them are lying on a hidden beach watching the stars and reminiscing about Torrent.

'Why do I get the idea that this was some sort of elaborate trick to get us to take a few days off?' Echo hums from the other side of the portable firelamp, and Fives bursts out laughing, wheezing out a faint _"kriff"_ at the hilariously unimpressed look on his brother's face. 'Oh, you have _no_ idea how bad they are at just getting out of the ship and doing normal things.'  
'Bad enough that the Marshal has to trick them into it, clearly.'  
'Let me put it this way; an overnight intel mission on a tourist planet is the equivalent of a night out at 79's for this squad.'  
'Little gods, what have I got myself into.'  
'Welcome to the Bad Batch, enjoy your stay,' Fives cackles, and dodges the shell Echo pings at him. 'Rude!'  
'You deserved it,' Echo replies, and grins brightly. They laugh together, two brothers reunited, on an island beach under the stars.

For a moment, the war stops nipping at their heels.


	8. airlock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Subject Five is alone in the underlevels, until he isn't. 
> 
> The little one isn't _his_ Gatherer, but Five will look after him nevertheless. 
> 
> That's his job, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt for Tup and fluff/hurt-comfort in the _souls apart, leagues beneath_ 'verse, my as-yet-unwritten Bioshock AU which is somehow getting a tiny bit of hype already??? Rad.
> 
> Warnings for implications of stuff like experimentation on children, child endangerment, misuse of power; you know, the things you'd expect from something that mashes up Bioshock and Clone Wars.

The broken pipe is dripping faster than usual the day the Little Brother crawls out of the vent.

Five studies him through the bleary haze of exhaustion and ADAM-flares as the little one makes his way across the crumbled piles of masonry, splashing in puddles and humming a wordless, echoing tune. He's small; probably a recent addition to the ranks, no more than six years old.

The boy's bright yellow eyes light up at the sight of him slumped in the corner, and he scampers across the old steel walkways to reach him. 'Hi, Mister Five! I won the game of go-seek, so I get to give you your present!' he sings, digging in a pocket of his dungarees to reveal a cassette, scratched label scrawled with the number five. 'But you better be able to read it!'

Five clumsily shuffles over to the blanket he'd hidden the old tape machine under, gesturing. The Little Brother beams, picking up the player and inserting the tape before seating himself on the floor next to his new acquaintance, pressing play. A familiar voice emerges from the brief crackle of static, and Five leans forward to listen.

_'Hello, Five. It's your brother, Echo; I don't know if you still remember, it's been a while since we've seen each other. If you're hearing this, it means one of the Little Brothers has managed to find you, wherever Doctor Sefton's hidden you. I've sent them searching because I think there might be a chance we could get out of here soon, but I'll need your help... and I won't leave you behind._

_This little one's name is Tup, and I've asked him to stay with you once he finds you. He's pretty new here, but he's good at finding ADAM, which should help you regain the strength I have no doubt you've lost after spending so much time separated from me._

_I'm sorry that happened. Maybe I should have fought harder. I won't let them take you away once we're back together, though. They'll have to go through me if they want to hurt you again.'_

A whimper leaves Five's throat unexpectedly. It hadn't been Echo's fault they'd been separated, it had been his. They'd threatened his brother, his Brother in all the ways that mattered, and he couldn't let him be hurt. He was Echo's Protector, that was his job.

And he'd failed.

_'There's someone new in Rapture, someone from outside looking for something. I think he might be able to help us, but we're going to have to help him as well, probably. So get your strength back, find your way up to the main city, and look after Tup for me. If all goes well, I'll find you in one of our old places._

_... Be strong, brother. I'll see you again, I hope.'_

The cassette squeals a little as it ends, and Tup presses stop to halt the grating sound, one hand clamped over an ear and an unusually shaken expression on his young face. It probably sounds a little too much like a child's scream.

Tup would have heard plenty of those in the laboratories, even if he didn't remember them very well.

_Look after Tup for me._

He reaches out a gloved hand as slowly as he can, palm up. Non-threatening.

Tup stares at it for a long second, before a small smile spreads across his face and he clambers over the metal plates of the diving suit and into the older boy's arms. He presses his nose up against the viewport of the helmet - there's no way to see inside, but it seems that won't stop him trying. 'You lose your head, Mister Five? Did the Red Queen take it for beating her at croquet?'

Five huffs out what might have been a laugh once, and brushes the wild black curls out of the Little Brother's eyes. The little one isn't _his_ Gatherer, his Brother - that place belongs to Echo, Echo who he needs to find, needs to rescue and keep safe - but Five will take care of him nevertheless.

That's his job, after all.


	9. endangered list

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Dogma gone, Tup is the last of his old training squad.
> 
> Fives can understand how that feels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt for Tup and fluff in canon 'verse from an anon
> 
> Well, uh... you said fluff but then you also said the fateful words "after Umbara," soooo. Yeah. This got a little hurt-comforty again.
> 
> I _SWEAR_ THE NEXT ONE WILL ACTUALLY BE JUST FLUFF, GUYS.

'Ow.'

Fives glances up from his reading at the quiet exclamation of pain, concerned. 'You okay, Tup?'  
'Yeah, just - ouch - having some trouble with my hairtie.'  
'Need a hand?'  
Tup huffs, tugging at the tangled curls behind his head. 'No, I've... got it - ow!'

Sighing, Fives puts the datapad down and makes his way over to the younger trooper's bunk, sitting next to him. 'Here, turn around.'  
'I've _got_ it, Fives.'  
'Clearly you don't,' the ARC replies, gesturing to the mess that was a neat bun several minutes before, 'so are you going to be stubborn or are you going to let me help you?'

Tup stares in defiant silence at his older brother for a long second before he deflates, shuffling around to face the other direction. Fives nods approvingly, careful hands beginning to untangle the knotted mane in front of him, deftly picking apart the strands twisted around the hairtie and placing it aside. They sit in silence for some time, the tension built in Tup's shoulders slowly fading as his brother's fingers comb gently through his hair.

'Dogma was your last squadmate, wasn't he?' Fives asks, voice uncertain. 'That's why you've been so distant from everyone since Umbara.' He lets go of the mess of curls, letting them fluff out like they should. 'I'm sorry.'  
''S not your fault. He did the right thing,' Tup replies, brows pinching in distress. 'I don't understand why they had to take him away just for that.'  
Fives stares at his hands in his lap, wondering the same. 'Because we don't make the rules, or enforce them. We just follow them, or sometimes we don't and then we get punished for it, no matter how stupid it is.'

He looks up at the sound of a sniffle, pulling the younger trooper into his arms as Tup begins to shake. 'I know. I _know_ , okay? I lost all of my squad too, I understand,' he says quietly, letting his _vod'ika_ cling tightly to his fatigues as his sobs turn loud and messy. 'It hurts, I get it, I do. But you can't pull away from us, it'll only make it worse.'  
'I should have stopped him, I should - should have said something -'  
'I thought that for a long time. Didn't do me any good and it won't help you either, trust me.'

He sits in silence after that, one hand steady on Tup's back and the other carding through the now neat curls spilling around his brother's tearstained face. Eventually, Tup's sobs ease into slow, hitching breaths, and Fives pulls away, reaching for the hairtie and gesturing for him to turn back around. Tup does, sniffling, and wipes at his eyes while the ARC wrangles his hair into a loose braid he can sleep in. 'How'd you know how to do that?'  
'... one of my batchers had hair like this. Took both me and her a long time to figure out what to do with it.'  
Tup glances at Fives out of the corner of his eye, curious. The only batcher he's ever heard his brother talk about is Echo, his twin; normally the only others he mentions are his old squadmates. 'What was her name?'  
'She never had one,' Fives admits, after a moment. 'She was only ever CT-8557. They decommissioned her when we were six standard, before we were even put into squads.' He swallows hard, looks away. 'Echo and I never found out why. She just... wasn't there one day, and we never heard anything more about it.'  
'You never tried to find out?'  
'Couldn't exactly go looking with the _kaminiise_ breathing down our necks. We were already showing signs of being difficult, even before Domino Squad.'

Tup wonders what that's like, having a _vod_ just vanish one day; and then he remembers Berry and Flip and all the others who were just numbers, and remembers that he already knows. All his batchers gone before four standard, a malfunctioning group except for him and Dogma. Apparently now, just Tup.

He wonders how long it'll be before something turns out to be wrong with him, too. 

Leaning against Fives' side, he curls a hand around his brother's arm in apology. 'Sorry. Didn't mean to upset you.'  
'No, it's alright. I haven't talked about her for a while - not since Echo died, I think.'  
'Tell me a story about them?'  
'Who?'  
'All of them. Your batchers, your squadmates, any of them. You've gotta have some good stories.'

Fives hums, thoughtful. 'Well, there was that one time Echo and I snuck into the advanced training halls and managed to avoid getting caught.'  
'No way. That has to be a lie.'  
The ARC cackles, knuckles pressing into Tup's scalp. 'It is _absolutely_ true and I'll tell you exactly what happened -'


	10. you'll go far

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fives gets a promotion.
> 
> Rex is a proud _buir._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt for Rex and fluff in _may the fourth be with you_ verse from anon
> 
> See! It's fluffy, guys, like I said!
> 
> Anyway, if anyone ever wondered about my tumblr url/AO3 handle, _may the fourth_ is the reason...

'... so as you are the best fit for this new unit, I'm officially selecting you to assist Commander Kenobi as their second-in-command; though knowing them, they'll leave a lot of the actual battle strategy to you, because - in their own words - you're trained for it, and they're a "seventeen-standard diplomat armed with a very complex and dangerous lamp",' Cody states, tapping a small stack of flimsi into order on his desk before reaching for a datapad. 'Well done for getting possibly the most sensible of the Open Circle Fleet's Jedi _._ I'm honestly a bit jealous.'

Fives, standing across from the Clone Marshal, is looking a little stunned, though he's doing his best not to show it. Rex, off to the side, tries very hard not to show any emotion when his _kih_ _'vod's_ eyes flick to him in desperation. _Sorry, kid, but you're on your own for this particular talking-to._

'Wait, so I'm... not in trouble?'

Cody blinks up at Fives, taking in the words. 'What part of "I'm promoting you and putting you in the command team of a special unit" says that you're in trouble?'  
'Sorry, I've just... you've never called me to your office before.'  
'Hm. I see. Well, anyway, ARC Trooper Fives - or should I say _Captain_ Fives -' and Cody's smirking now, because he never gets tired of watching troopers' eyes light up when they realise they've achieved something - 'this datapad contains the official documents for your promotion, your transfer over to the _Negotiator_ , and your new orders, as well as some other legal _osik_ they make you sign when you become an officer. And if you've learned _anything_ from Rex, you'll get it in _on time_.'

'Y-yessir,' Fives manages to stammer out, snapping to attention and taking the pad in a shaking hand. Cody offers him a more genuine smile, returning the salute. 'Congratulations, trooper. Now go let your _vod'e_ get you drunk, you and Hardcase are shipping out with the 212th tomorrow after the Hunt, en route to pick up the rest of your unit from Kamino.'

Fives, still shocked, stumbles a little on his way out the door, and Rex holds in his laughter as he bids a still-grinning Cody farewell and follows, catching up with his _kih'vod_ as the new Captain leans against the opposite wall. 'A little overwhelmed, perhaps?' he says, and Fives nearly jumps out of his skin. 'Captain! I mean - Rex - uh... oh, that's going to take some getting used to.'  
'When have you ever followed protocol and called me by my rank outside of important communications, Fives?' he replies, and his brother has the decency to look sheepish. 'Come on, Torrent's got a farewell shindig set up for you and Hardcase. Wouldn't want to miss it.'

* * *

While Hardcase is definitely the loudest, most actively drunk trooper at the party, it's several hours in when Fives vanishes quietly from the room. Thankfully, Rex is pretty sure he knows where he's gone, and makes his way to the memorial wall. His little brother is standing near the center of it, palm pressed against the blue handprint that sits there. While Rex can just make out the silvery shine of tears on his face, he's still smiling as he murmurs in _Mando'a_ , a familiar helmet clutched in one hand. 

Rex keeps his distance while Fives talks to his twin, leaning against the doorframe to wait. Eventually, Fives touches his forehead briefly to the wall, sets the helmet on the ground, and turns away, unsurprised to find his _ori'vod_ standing there. 'Think he'd be proud of me?' he asks, and Rex crosses the room to stand by him, hands finding his shoulders.

'I know he would,' he replies, and hugs his little brother tight. 'I am. You've learned so much since I picked your crazy ass off Rishi.'  
Fives laughs, muffled in Rex's shirt. 'Had a good teacher.'  
'You're going to be a great Captain.'  
'As good as you?'

Rex pulls back, looks Fives right in the eye. 'No. I think you'll be better.'


	11. a question of trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex has an apology to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt for Rex and hurt/comfort in canon 'verse from anon
> 
> Short, but ouch. Damn you, Umbara.

It's an unusually quiet night after the remembrances have been said and there's nothing else to clean up.

Most of the 501st is resting, waiting to ship out and leave the hellish battleground of Umbara behind. Some are sat in small groups or by themselves, collecting their thoughts or comforting each other; Rex can see Kix and Jesse huddled in a corner of the barracks, no doubt talking about Hardcase and keeping each other together. Tup is curled on his bunk but clearly awake, and the Captain knows he'll have to speak to him soon, apologise for not being able to save Dogma.

He can't see Fives anywhere, but the pyre is continuing to burn out on the duracrete, so he makes his way toward it.

The ARC is silhouetted against the flames, still dressed in his dusty, ash-spattered armour, inscrutable beneath his helmet. He's unsettlingly still where he stands, all of his usual restless energy nowhere to be seen, and it's like a stone drops into Rex's stomach because it just looks wrong. 'Fives.' There's a tilt of the head, the faintest acknowledgement, and Rex steps up beside him, respecting his distance.  
'Captain.'  
'You planning to sleep anytime soon?'  
There's a frustrated huff, and Fives reaches up, tugs off his helmet. He's washed-out and tired underneath it, eyes dull where they look anywhere but at his brother. 'What, like you clearly aren't? _Gar shuk meh kyrayc,_ ' he replies, tone sharp, and the Captain frowns at the vehemence.  
'Fives, I need to apologise,' he says quietly, and his brother finally turns towards him, firelight glinting off the tearstains still trailing down his face. 'I didn't listen to you out there, and that wasn't right.'

He pulls his brother towards him, rests their foreheads together. _'Ni ceta, kih'vod.'_  
 _'Cuy ogir'olar.'_  
'No. No, it's not irrelevant. I should have trusted you, and that mistake cost us. I won't make it again.'  
'What if I'm wrong next time?' Fives whispers, voice hoarse, and Rex shakes his head. 'Doesn't matter. You're still my brother, and you've never been wrong yet. If you know you're right, and I don't listen to you again, you have my express permission to give me a good kick in the _shebs_.'

The ARC snorts, moving back to survey the burning pyre again, his shoulder pressed against the Captain's in silent gratitude. There's a moment of silence, a wordless sharing of grief.

'Go rest, Fives. I'll keep watch.'  
'You sure?'  
'Yeah.'  
Fives doesn't move. '... Don't know if I can sleep.'  
'Yeah, me neither.'

They stand and watch the pyre slowly die down to charcoal and ash, sides pressed together, holding each other up. Other troopers trickle into a small group during the following hours, until finally most of the remaining 501st stands around the pyre a second time, along with scattered patches of 212th gold - all that's left of Waxer's decimated platoon.

They remain until the landing craft cut through the clouds.


	12. vod'e an

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ex-501st Greyhawks pay their old company a surprise visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt for the 501st and a cuddle pile from anonymous
> 
> you didn't specify a 'verse, so this one's set in _may the fourth!_ it's the easiest to be fluffy in...
> 
> also it just kind of ended up being Torrent, whoops. at least it's actually fluffy. ^_^

'WHAT'S GOIN' ON, YOU BEAUTIFUL BASTARDS?!'

Hardcase leaps on Kix and Jesse as he careens into the _Resolute_ training hall, laughing as his batchers flail wildly before engulfing him in a hug. They tumble to the ground, wrestling like cadets, and Rex snickers from the other side of the room. 'Don't break them, 'Case, they've got jobs to do,' he says, and is promptly crash-tackled onto the mats by Fives and Echo with a rather undignified yelp. He picks himself up (once they let him) and reaches out to yank Fives into a headlock, which the younger Captain quickly twists out of. 'Sneaky little _shebse._ '  
'Learnt from the best,' Fives replies, grinning, and swipes at his shins, missing by a hair as his _ori'vod_ dodges - right into Echo's shoulder throw. 

Rex lands on the mat with an audible thud, and laughs as the breath whooshes right out of him. 'Alright,' he gasps, rolling over, 'you're officially not allowed to gang up on me anymore. It's not fair when you can read each other's minds.'  
'Aw, but where's the fun in that?' Echo replies, leaning over with a smirk, and Rex pushes himself to his feet again. 'Square the hells up, kid, and I'll show you _fun_.'  
'But _Rex_ , I'm still an _invalid_ , be _nice_ to me -'  
'Nope, you're officially not under medical supervision anymore,' Kix butts in, throwing an arm over his shoulder and looking distinctly ruffled from the prior wrestling. 'Not after pulling off a move like that and staying upright.'

Echo pouts, but is saved from having to fight Rex one-on-one by Tup and Dogma, who have avoided getting their ankles swiped by the still-rumbling Jesse and Hardcase, ducking under Fives' arms and getting surprise hair-ruffles as they stop next to him. 'Agh, Fives!'  
'You're in range, you only have yourself to blame, Tup.'

The younger trooper huffs as he reaches up to redo his bun, while on Fives' other side Dogma leans into the touch, prompting his _ori'vod_ to gently run a hand over the short fuzz of hair, brushing back and forth. 'We came back for a visit, Captain,' he says quietly, and smiles as Rex pats his shoulder.

'It's good to see you all again,' Jesse replies, grinning as he drags Hardcase into the group. 'And now that this _dini'la_ bastard is sufficiently tired out, we can actually do something.'  
_'Hey...'_  
'Oh!' Tup exclaims, brightening, 'can we have a big _vod'e_ pile and just hang out? Please, Rex?'  
'Don't see why not; been a while since the last one.'

Hardcase whoops, miraculously re-energised, and races off, dragging Kix and Jesse behind him. 'We'll find the extra blankets!'  
'I'm pretty sure this counts as press-ganging.'  
'... Shut up, Jess.'

* * *

Several hours later, the Torrent barracks is wreathed in quiet, broken only by quiet conversations and the soft sounds of sleep.

Fives, lounging next to Echo with Dogma curled up and fast asleep against his side, smiles at the feeling of contentment and peace that pervades every molecule of the room. It almost looks like bright soap bubbles, shining softly in every possible colour, floating around the group of resting troopers. **You see it?**

 **I see it,** Echo replies, smiling.  
**Looks like bubbles. Isn't that weird?**  
**I think if we've learned anything about the Force, it's that it's _weird_.**  
**True.**

He yawns, rubbing at his jaw when it cracks uncomfortably, and leans against his twin, closing his eyes. **Goodnight, Echo.**

**Goodnight, Fives.**


	13. kicking stones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It can get very boring on the Rishi Moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt for Domino Squad and fluff in canon 'verse from anon
> 
> Only one more to go! It'll be done after I get home tonight.

'Okay. I spy, with my well-trained eyes -'  
'Sure.'  
' - shut up. Something that is... grey.'  
'Is it the moon?'  
'How about that, Hevy, he guessed it first time.'  
'Shut _up_.'

* * *

'Echo?'  
'Yeah?'  
'We're out of blue.'  
'Wh- _how?_ _How are we already out of blue?'_  
'Droidbait wanted to paint the viewports on Kamino in the bunkroom.'  
'... Guess we'll just have to requisition some more and see if they give it to us.'

* * *

'Hey, fellow shinies!'  
 _'Fives!'_  
'Oof! Why the tookapile all of a sudden?'  
'We missed you, _di'kut.'_  
'Oh.'  
'Posting didn't work out?'  
'Um. We kind of had to... evacuate it. So I guess they just dumped me here.'  
'Well. At least we can _say_ we stuck together.'

* * *

_'Kandosii sa kar'ta, vode an -'_  
'You could at least sing it in tune -'  
 _'CORUSCANTA A'DEN MHI, VODE AN -'_  
'Oh, little gods.'

* * *

'Fives, why are you screaming?'  
'I saw... I saw it.'  
'What?'  
'The... the...'  
'Fives.'  
'... the _eeeeeeeellll.'_  
'Oh for the love of Prime, I'm telling you, it's _real!'_

* * *

'Cutup, have you seen my kaf?'  
'Nope.'  
'I swear I put it down right here.'  
'Maybe the eel took it.'  
 _'Shut up, Hevy.'_

* * *

'Hey, uh... guys?'  
'Hm? Echo?'  
'Do you think we'll ever get to explore the galaxy?'  
'Depends if you consider "with a platoon" to count for that.'  
'Huh. I suppose you're right.'  
'That's if we ever get a platoon.'  
'Shush, Hevy. Don't be a downer.'

* * *

'Goodnight.'  
'Night, Bait.'  
'Sleep well, Echo.'  
'Night, Hevy.'  
'... have fun on watch, Fives.'  
'Shut _up_.'


	14. if at first

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They can't tell him how he died, Hunter tells them in uncertain terms. It'll change too much, maybe make things worse than they already are. Echo thinks things can't get any worse. 
> 
> Fives deserves a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt for Echo and time travel in canon 'verse from anon
> 
> The last one! My original plan was this angsty Groundhog Day kind of deal with Fives in a time loop trying to save Echo and watching him die over and over before finally realising he was never meant to save him because he never died, but he knows that he never gets to see him again because he's faced his own death every time and it's always been the same.
> 
> Then I was like "nah, that's way too complex." This turned out better, I think.

It's the horror on Fives' face, the breakdown when he realises almost everyone he knows is gone, when he sees what the galaxy's become, that makes up Echo's mind.

'We _have_ to tell him. If he goes back, maybe he can fix things,' he says, cradling his sleeping brother's head in his lap and glaring at anyone who so much as raises their voice to regular speaking volume. 'It's a chance, at least.'  
'And what if it makes things worse?' Hunter replies, brows furrowed in cynical frustration. 'What if it all blows up in his face?'  
'Ideally,' Tech muses, tapping at his ever-present datapad, 'we wouldn't know any different. The timeline we are in now would, theoretically, no longer exist, and it would be a different version of us living the new timeline.'

Wrecker shrugs, confused at the twisting talk, and returns his gaze to the floor. Crosshair chews a toothpick thoughtfully, and speaks up. 'I say we try it. What's the worst that could happen? Really, though, this is already a steaming pile of _osik.'_

They agree unanimously that Echo should be the one to have the conversation, since he knows Fives best even if he wasn't there during the year he died, and he gathers himself for a difficult talk. The Batch make notes on some of the things he's not too clear on, and he writes some of his own just in case. Tech translates the writing on the strange device they found, the one that brought Fives to them, and gives him a time frame.

He has the remainder of the day - all seven hours - to tell Fives everything he needs to know.

It's a painful conversation. They power through it, though, and work through the timeline of events from just before Ringo Vinda to Order 66. Fives needs a little time after each horrifying revelation; he's only recently been through the Umbara campaign, and is still reeling from that hell while he tries to take it all in. Tup, the Chancellor, his own death, Skako Minor, the massacres all over the galaxy, their suspicions about the General - it's a _lot_ , and Echo tries his best to pace the conversation while knowing they only have a limited time. 

They get through it, eventually, and he hands over the evidence Fives will need, hoping that it can make the journey with him. Hoping he'll remember what he's heard, that things will actually change when he goes back. He spends the last few hours curled around his brother in the quiet, both of them holding each other tight, wondering if this is the last time they'll be reunited.

Tech pokes his head around the corner, informs them that time is almost up, and they make ther way back out to where the device stands. Fives checks his gear, makes sure the datachip and the inhibitor chip - Tech's, actually, unable to work past his strange brain and the reason Hunter and Wrecker are still with them - are safe in his belt pocket.

He squeezes Echo's hand tight, and disappears.

They're all holding their breath, and there's a split second where nothing happens and -

* * *

He breathes. That's odd. He could swear he wasn't breathing before.

What can he remember, where is he? Running. Fives. Explosion?

They have to get to the shuttle, escape the Citadel, get off Lola Sayu. That's right. He'll go first, grab the shield. 

_Echo, don't, come back!_

Not this time, Fives. He has to... has to -

'Echo?'

Who's - Captain? 'Rex? You... you came back for me?'

Everything's... not right, the program is running in the background and he can't _think_ -

There's sounds of fighting, other troopers nearby. There are two sets of hands holding him gently, but something keeps his neck in place, makes it impossible to turn and look from where he sits. What _happened?_ Where _is_ he? 'Sit tight, trooper. We're taking you home.' 

Noises of droids breaking, outside the room.

Where's Fives?

Unfamiliar voice - younger, more accented. 'I've got it. We can unplug him now.'

Yes, please, get him out, he doesn't want to be here anymore, no more machine pulling at every shred of humanity left in him, no more betraying his _vod'e_ , get him out, get him _out_ -

Echo collapses to the ground as he regains all of his faculties in the last yank of a wire. He chokes on the cold in his lungs, internally cursing the Techno Union's _terrible_ lack of sensible stasis procedures; he's going to have a hell of a time getting back to his usual standard of health. 

Careful hands steady him, and he turns to find his brother's eyes looking back, tears spilling down the face he knows as well as his own. 'Fives.'  
'Hey, Echo.'  
He tries a grin, and is relieved to find he can manage it. 'Been a while.'  
Fives makes a strangled sound even as he smiles in return. 'Shut up and save your strength, you look _awful.'_  
'Like to see you try it and look any better.'  
'No thanks. I'm kind of busy helping you get out of here.'  
'Do you even have a plan for that?'

He regrets saying it as soon as his brother freezes awkwardly, but his eye-roll is fond when Fives helps him to his feet. 'In my defense, _you're_ the one with the plans, my old ARC trooper buddy.'  
'I really hope I'm still your _brother_ and not just "your old ARC trooper buddy," or I might change my mind about whether this rescue was worth it,' Echo replies flatly, and hears several cackles from around the room as Fives pouts, chastened. 

Just like old times, even if there's something in Fives' eyes that seems odd, old-soul wise even though he's only been in stasis less than a year. Something has happened to his brother, and Echo will certainly be speaking to him about it when they get the chance. Right now, though, he has to help out in his own rescue, amusing as it is, and he's just happy to _get_ that chance.

It's good to be back.


End file.
